


Trapped in Darkness

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Series: Holly's Round Eight H/C Bingo Card [82]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Suicidal Thoughts, Wrongful Imprisonment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: Every once in awhile, though, they run into things like this, and he wonders if the adventures are worth it.When the citizens of other worlds demand that Riku pay for his crimes, it's Sora that tells them the truth—that he was a pawn of darkness, and that he has already served his sentence.





	Trapped in Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> [yeaka](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/) prompted _sora in wonderland, maybe riku rescues him before the queen can cut off his head, or riku is tried for crimes of darkness in any of the worlds, and sora's the only one that sees the light in him and helps him?_ and this is the result.

Sora has long since lost his sense of time, lost track of what is still left in the wide expanse of worlds aside from his friends. Sometimes he thinks back to his island home and the world he knew there, but more often he relishes the friends he's made and the adventures he's had. With Kairi and Riku returned to his side, it's not quite like home, but, for as long as the worlds are still out of balance, it's enough.

Every once in awhile, though, they run into things like this, and he wonders if the adventures are worth it. Because every once in a while they encounter a world steeped in responsibility and justice. One that holds their law to the highest standard, disregarding the sentences and punishments of other worlds. One where they insist on holding Riku accountable for the deeds of the pawns of darkness that had so briefly turned his heart to their side. Every once in awhile, they end up _here_ , in the court of a distant world, and every time it's the same song and dance. Every time it happens, the inhabitants of the world recognize Riku. Every time it happens, they demand he pay penance for the crimes they saw him commit. Every time it happens, they scream and rage and ignore Sora's counterarguments. And, worst of all, every time it happens, Riku just bows his head and offers himself up for judgment.

Sora hates it, not least of all for the way they always cart him away to their prisons as he awaits trial. Sometimes they won't even let Sora and Kairi and their friends see Riku. Those times are harder than the rest, and those are the times where Sora wields his power as the heart of light for his own selfish desires. Each time, he stands between Riku and the judgment he would willingly accept, pride and perfection making him vain to his own importance. Each time, Sora argues and gambles and fights and wins, bringing Riku back to his side without fail. Sora had never had much care for his title, wishing to simply be who he is, who he was. He never needed the fame or fortune, never wanted it or asked for it, but it's what he has. Though he had once thought he would only wield the power of his title in combat and court, if the prestige his title has earned him can save Riku from himself, it's well worth it. So Sora uses it, again and again and again, freeing Riku when he's trapped by the deeds of the pawns of darkness and the words of their victims.

But the true prison, he soon realizes, is not within the walls of the jails in countless worlds. The true prison is inside Riku's mind, tormented and shaken, battered and bruised from what Ansem and the rest had done to him. And each time, as Sora frees him from the physical embodiment of his entrapment, it grows harder to free him from the trappings of his mind. The fear that someday it won't be enough—that _he_ won't be enough—is enough to leave him trembling on his own after he soothes the worst of the shakes from Riku's body. Riku is just as trapped in his own mind as he ever was, and that is the part that scares Sora the most.

Still. It'll happen someday. Someday soon. Someday Sora will free Riku from the mind that lies to him about the role he played as a pawn of darkness. Someday they'll be able to be the friends that they once were. And maybe, someday, they'll go home again. But the healing must come first, and Sora knows that will take time. He'll stand by Riku's side until that day, be his strength, and, until that day comes, they will be together. Sora already lost him once, too slow to understand, but he won't make that mistake again. As long as Rilu draws breath, Sora will be at his side to see that it continues.

They are too much a part of one another to be separated, and Sora will never let him go.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [yeaka](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/) for the drive-by beta. Part of my Round Eight H/C Bingo Card. [Come hang with me on tumblr!](http://hollyandvice.tumblr.com/)


End file.
